Post hole digger



June 15, 1943. J. w. HOUSTON POST HOLE DIGGER Filed March 10, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet l June 15,- 1943. J. w. HOUSTON POST HOLE DIGGER Filed March 10, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 I ll Patented June 1 5,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

' 2,321,680 ros'r HOLE mooun John W. Houston, Tama, lowa Application March 10, 1942, Serial No. 434,117

Claims.

This invention relates to a post hole digger, and it is a particular object of the invention to provide adevice "of this kind designed to be employed in connection with a tractor having a take-off shaft and wherein the digger is operated from said take-oil shaft.

The invention also has for an object to provide a digger of this kind to be employed in connection with a tractor and wherein the mounting and operation of the apparatus is such to allow for proper spotting of the auger of the digger,

without requiring exact spotting of the tractor.

Another object of the invention is to provide I a digger of this kind which can be employed for digging post holes or similar holes, and whereby such a hole may be produced on any lateral incline within a range of approximately 20, or on a forward and rearward incline within a range of A still further object of the invention is to providea digger of this kind including a digging element or auger which can be readily adjusted to all inclines up to 20 and 30 and effectively locked in desired selected adjustment and wherein mounting of the digging element or auger is such as to center itself by gravity when the locking means is released.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of this kind wherein the digging element constitutes an auger together with the use of a spreader for removing dirt from around the top of the hole being bored so that dirt will not fall into the hole when the auger is removed.

The inventionconsists in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the s'everal'parts of my improved post hole digger whereby certain important advantages areattained, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

In order that my invention may be the better understood, I will now proceed to describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: v

Figure 1 is a view in rear elevation of a post hole digger constructed in accordance with an embodiment of my invention and in applied position, the associated tractor being illustrated in fragment;

Figure 2 is a view in top plan of the structure Figure 8 is a fragmentary side elevational view at the rear portion of the apparatus, with parts in section;

Figure 9 is a detailed view, partly in elevation and partly in section, illustrating the means as herein embodied for coupling the digger to the tractor; v

Figure 10 is a detailed view, partly in section and partly in elevation, illustrating one of the clutches as herein employed; and

Figure 11 is a fragmentary view in top plan illustrating the operative connection between the boom and housing for the auger, as herein comprised.

As disclosed in the accompanying drawings, I denotes a rigid draw member disposed transversely of the tractor 'I' at the rear thereof and securely anchored thereto, as at 2. The tractor T may be of any type preferred but including, of course, a suitably positioned power take-oil? shaft. As this power take-oil shaft is conventional and forms no part of the present invention an illustration and description thereof is believed to be unnecessary.

' Anchored, as at 3, to the central portion of the member I is an elongated plate 4 provided at its extremities with the upstanding arms or posts 5. These arms or posts 5 are of desired length and have their upper end portions pivotally connected, as at 6, with the forward end portions of the side sills l comprised in the supporting frame or structure. These sills! are of required length and spaced apart a desired distance, and

The cross member 8 at the forward end portion of the device has overlying the front face thereof a plate 9 provided in an end portion with a plurality of longitudinally disposed and suitably spaced slots Ill. Disposed through each of these slots Ill is a bolt II which is also directed through the associated member 8. Threading upon each of these bolts H and coacting with the plate 9 are the holding or clamping nuts l2. The bolts and nuts |2, i n c oaction with the slots l8, provide means whereby the plate 9 may be adjusted as desired within a limited range along the member 8. overlying the plate 8 is a second plate |4 provided with a plurality of transversely disposed and longitudinally spaced slots l5 through which pass the bolts l8 and also directed through the adjacent portion of the plate 8. Threading upon these bolts l5 and coacting with the plate H are the conventional holding or clamping nuts |1. As is particularly illustrated in Figure 3, the slots l5 are at right angles to the slots l and said slots l allow vertical adjustment of the plate l4 within certain limits independently of the plate 9, although it is to be pointed out that upon longitudinal adiustment of the plate 8 the plate I4 is correspond ingly shifted therewith.

The central portion of the plate H has formed therewith an outstanding arm |8 provided at its outer extremity with an upstanding bearing If! to provide a mounting for a short drive shaft 20. This shaft 28 is adapted to be coupled, as generally indicated at 2|, with the power take-off shaft of the tractor T with which the apparatus or device is employed. As the means for connecting this shaft with the take-off shaft of the tractor in its detail forms no particular part of the invention and is dependent upon the type or style of the tractor, a. detailed description or illustration of this connection is not deemed necessary.

The shaft 20 extends inwardly of the bearing l8 and fixed to said shaft 28 for rotation therewith is a sprocket wheel 22. This sprocket wheel 22 is interposed between the bearing I9 and the plate |4, said arm |8 being of a length sufficient to permit such assembly.

operatively engaged with the sprocket wheel 22 is an endless sprocket chain 23 which is also disposed around a sprocket wheel 24 freely mounted on a sleeve or hub 25 keyed, as at 28, or otherwise fixed for rotation with a shaft 21. This shaft 21 is disposed lengthwise of the device or apparatus or substantially parallel with the sills I and positioned at a point substantially midway between the sills This shaft 2'! is of a length to extend a major distance along the apparatus and is rotatably supported by the bearings 28 mounted upon the cross members 8.

The adjustment of the plates 9 and I4 permit required adjustment of the shaft 20 to assure the same being brought into effective position with respect to the take-off shaft of the tractor or to tighten the sprocket chain 23 as may be required.

The hub or sleeve 25, as particularly illustrated in Figure 10, is'provided with a surrounding flange 29 one face of which having contact with the inner face of the web 38 of the sprocket wheel 24. Contacting with the opposite face of the flange 28 is an annular floating disk 3|. The web 38 and the disk 3| are normally maintained in required frictional contact with the opposite faces of the flange 29 by the expansible members 32 of requisite tension and herein disclosed as coil springs interposed between the disk 3| and the heads or enlargements 33 threading upon the outer end portions of the elongated shanks 34 fixed to and carried by the web 38 and freely disposed through the annular disk 8|. This assembly provides a clutch which normally allows rotation of the shaft 21 with the shaft 28, but which clutch will slip and become ineffective upon'abnormal load or resistance being imposed upon the shaft 21. It is to be stated at this time that any other form of automatic or overload clutch may be employed in lieu of the type of clutch a herein embodied and as particularly illustrated in Figure 10 of the drawings.

The cross member 8 at the rear end of the apparatus has operatively connected therewith, as

at 35, a'caster wheel 36 to provide support for said rear portion of the apparatus and, as is illustrated in Figure 2, this caster wheel 35 is positioned substantially midway between the sills l. Welded or otherwise secured to the top face of this rear member 8 is a bearing 31 which provides a mounting for the lower end portion of an upwardly and laterally inclined shaft 38. This shaft 38 is disposed on a predetermined angle with respect to the horizontal and has fixed to its lower end portion a beveled gear 39 which meshes with a beveled gear 40 fixed to the adjacent or rear end portion of the shaft 20. This shaft 38 intermediate its length is further supported by the bearings 4| carried by the upstanding bracket arms 42 suitably secured to the sills I at the side of the apparatus beyond which the shaft 38 extends.

The upper or outer end portion of the shaft 38 has universal connection, as at 43, with an end portion of a shaft section 44 which telescopically engages within a second shaft section 45 of material length. The shaft 44 is angular in crosssection and the associated bore of the shaft 45 is of corresponding cross-section so that the two shafts 44 and 45 will rotate in unison, yet be free to have endwise movement one with respect to the other. The shaft 45 at its outer end has universal connection, as at 46, with a shaft section 41 which extends within a housing 48 and has conventional driving connection with a shaft 49 depending from the housing48. As the driving connection between the shaft 41 and the shaft 49 is through a conventional assembly of gears, it is not believed a detailed description or illustration is required.

Suitably coupled, as at 50, to the shaft 49 is an auger 5| of desired dimensions. The coupling 58 may be as Preferred but of a type permitting ready removal or application of the auger or to allow for the use of an extension shaft for the auger when it is desired to dig a hole of material depth.

The lower end portion of the auger 5| is provided with the outstanding and surrounding auger knife 52 having diametrically opposed and depending cutting knives 53 for severing or removing roots or kindred obstructions before reaching the central cutting edge 54 of the knife 52. This cutting edge 54 is downwardly sloped and serves to initially loosen the soil at the center of the hole to be dug and thereby facilitate the downward feeding'of the auger 5|. A series of cutting edges 54 may be employed. The cone point D of the auger 5| immediately below the knife 42, as illustrated, has its periphery smooth and unobstructed as it is not necessary that such periphery be threaded although this Well known expedient may be employed if preferred.

The upper portion of the auger 5| is provided with the radially aligned outstanding arms 55 fixed for rotation therewith and carrying the vertically disposed flat blades 56 having their under edges a. substantially straight from end to end and aligned with each other and substantially perpendicular with respect to the axis of the auger 8|. These blades 88 serve to effectively spreadthe dirt removed bythe auger during the digging or drilling of a hole so that such dirt will not fall into the hole when the auger-8| is removed.

Freely mounted on and surrounding the outer end portion of the shaft 48 is'a sleeve 81. Formed with this sleeve 81 at opposite sides thereof are the arms 88 which extenda desired distance beyond the outer end of the sleeve 81. .The extended extremities of the arms 88 are flattened. as

at 58, and hingedly connected, as at 88, to said in cross-section. Slidably and snugly mounted upon this post or column 83 is a sleeve 84 with which is pivotally connected, as at 85, the arms 88 at opposite sides of said sleeve 84. These arms 88 extend inwardly from the sleeve 84 and carry a frame 81 in which is rotatably mounted a pulley 88. Suitably anchored, as at 88, to the upper portion of the frame 81 is an end portion of an elongated rod I8 having its outer extremity formed to provide a depending extension arm 'II disposed on a predetermined angle. This extension arm 1| is rotatably received within a bearing I2 carried by the upper extremity of an elongated boom 13 disposed on an angle of approximately 45 outwardly and laterally with respect to the apparatus or device. The extension arm II, as herein disclosed, is provided with a surrounding collar I4 contacting with the outer end of the bearing I2 and with which engages a holding bracket I5 rigidly anchored, as at I8, to the bearing I2.

The lower extremity of the boom I3 is snugly received between a pair of upstanding posts 11 and welded or otherwise rigidly secured thereto. These posts II are rigidly supported by the innet end portions of a pair of parallel side beams I8 carried by a turntable I8. This turntable I8 is mounted upon a carriage 88 having movement lengthwise along the tracks 8| mounted upon the spaced parallel sills 82 welded or otherwise rigidly secured to a side sill I. The outer end portions of the sills 82 are connected by a cross member 83 and operatively engaged, as at 84, with the central portion of this member 83 is a second caster wheel 85 to-provide further support for the apparatus or device. The outer end portion of each of the beams I8 has secured thereto, as at 88, an end portion of a brace member 81, the opposite end portion of which being anchored, as at 88, to the central portion of the boom I3. Each of the upstanding posts 11 has associated with the lower portion thereof the brace member a interposed between the posts II and the adjacent side beam The pivotal connection 85 for the post or column 83 allows the same, together with the housing 48 and auger 5|, to be swung laterally or sidewise in a general direction lengthwise of the shaft sections 44 and 45 to a selected incline at either side of the vertical within a range of 28 at either side of the vertical. The mounting of the rod I8, or more particularly the extension arm 'II thereof, allows the post or column a and the parts associated therewith to swing forwardly and rearwardly of the vertical, or in a general direction substantially at right angles to the shaft sections 4'4 and 48. This, swinging adjustment of the post or column 83 is readily permitted due to thereiative endwise movement of the telescoping shafts 44 and 48. The post or column 88 as herein disclosed is caused to swing laterally or sidewise as desired through the medium of an elongated rod 88 operatively connected, as at 88, with the post or column 83 above its pivotal connection 88, and with a hand lever 8| mounted, as at 82, upon the boom I3 for swinging movement in a direction lengthwise of said boom. This lever 8| carries a conventional latch mechanism 83 for coaction with a rack 84 mounted upon the boom 13 whereby the post or column 83 may be effectively locked in desired lateral or sidewise swinging adjust men I, I

Disposed over the pulley 88 and connected at one end, as at 88, with the housing 48 is an end portion of a flexible member 88. The opposite end portion of this member 88 extends downwardly and under a pulley 81 rotatably supported by and between the upstanding posts II. This member 88 extends from the pulley 81 to and winds upon a drum 88 fixed to rotate with a shaft 88 rotatably supported above the shaft 21 and to the outer side thereof by the upstanding frames I88 rigidly mounted upon adjacent cross members 8. Each of these frames I88, as herein disclosed, is V-shape in form with its apex upwardly disposed, and the shaft 88 is carried by the outer leg of such frame. The shaft 88 has fixed thereon a conventional clutch member I8I with which coacts a second clutch member I82 keyed to a shaft I83 but free for sliding movement therealong. This shaft I83, as herein disclosed, is in alignment with the shaft 88 and has a reduced end portion I84 which telescopes within the adjacent end portion of the shaft 88 whereby said shaft 88 provides-a support for the shaft I83. The opposite end portion of the shaft I83 is rotatably supported by a bearing I85 carried by the outer leg of an additional upstanding frame I88 suitably mounted upon a properly positioned cross member 8, This frame I88 is also V-shape in form with its apex upwardly directed. The shaft I83 has fixed thereto for rotation therewith a gear wheel I8'I which constantly meshes with a pinion I 88 fixed to and rotating with the shaft 21.

The sliding clutch member I82 is provided with an outstanding hub I88 having therearound a peripheral groove H8 in which engages from below a lever III. This lever III has its lower extremity pivotally. connected, as at II2, with a suitably formed bracket II3 fixed to and extending upwardly from the adjacent sill I. The upper portion of the lever III overlies and has close contact with a holding arm II4 suitably supported by the inner leg of the frame I88, or otherwise as may be preferred. The upper or outer face of this arm 4 is provided thereacross with the suitably spaced recesses H8 in which the lever III is selectively engaged to hold the clutch member I88 in either its clutched position or its declutched position.

When the clutch members I 8| and I82 are in engagement and, of course, the shaft I83 in rotation, the shaft 28 is rotated in a direction to wind the flexible member 81 upon the drum 88.

to lift the auger 8| above the ground surface when desired and, of course, to extract the auger 4 aaoaoao band ||8 disposed around a brake pulley III provided at one-end portion of the drum 98.

An intermediate portion of this .band 8 is connected in a well-known manner, as at II8, with the upper end portion of an arm 9 carried by and extending upwardly from the adjacent side sill 1. The extremities of this brake band III; are connected in the usual manner, as at I28 (Figure l) with an end portion of a floating operating lever |2|. The outer or free end portion of this lever I2I has anchored thereto, as at I22, an end portion of an elongated flexible member I23 disclosed in the accompanying drawings as a chain. This member or chain I23 passes around a guide pulley I24 coupled, as

at I25, to the upper extremity of an upstanding post |28rigidly anchored to the adjacent sill 1.

The member or chain I23 leads from the pulley I24 to a hand lever I21 and is operatively connected therewith, as at I28. The lower portion of this lever I21 is pivotally connected, as at I29, with an upstanding post I38 carried by the adjacent sill 1, and this post is provided with a rack |3| with which coacts in a well-known manner the latch mechanism I32 carried by the lever I21. By proper adjustment of the lever I21 the drum 18 may be locked to hold the auger 5| in desired raised position, or said lever I21 can be so adjusted as to control and regulate the downward movement of the auger 5|, and particularly when said auger is being initially set for digging or drilling a hole.

As particularly illustrated in Figure 8 of the drawings, the inner portion of the shaft 99 and, of course, the associated portion of the shaft I83 are further supported by an upstanding bearing frame I33 mounted on one of the cross mem" bers 8.

The carriage 88, as herein disclosed, is elongated and is provided at its extremities and at opposite sides thereof with the flanged Wheels I34 which have direct riding or rolling contact with the tracks 8| hereinbefore referred to. The side marginal portions of the table 88 are defined by the depending flanges |35 which overlie and have close contact with the upstanding flanges I36 extending along the side marginal portions of a bed plate I31 which is rigidly anchored, as by welding, to the adjacent sill 1. The flanges I35 of the carriage 88 are outwardly of the flanges I36 of the bed plate I31 and depending from the flanges I35 and rigidly secured thereto are the arms I38. These arms I38 are positioned at the central part of the flanges I35 and are of a length to extend a distance below the bed plate I31 sufflcient to allow the mounting therebetween of a roller I39. This roller I39 has direct contact from below with said bed plate I31. This coaction between the roller I39 and the bed plate I31 assures the effective maintenance of the carriage on its tracks 8| and further to maintain said carriage 88 rigid to prevent tilting, yet permitting the carriage to have desired endwise movement in either direction along its tracks 8|.

The carriage 88 at a desired point midway its ends and adjacent to a side margin thereof is provided with an upstanding bracket I48, with which is pivotally connected, as at I4I, an end portion of a rod I42. This rod I42 is of desired length and has its opposite end portion operatively connected, as at I43, with the lower end portion of a hand lever I44. This lever I44 is pivotally mounted, as at I45, at a desired point intermediate its ends with a plate I48, herein disclosed as supported, as at I41, with an inner leg of one of the frames I88 and also, as at I48, by the upstanding post I48 carried by an adjacent sill 1. The upper margin of the ,plate I48 is formed to provide a rack I58 with which coacts a conventional latch mechanism |5| carried by the lever I44. Uponrequisite swinging movement of the lever I44 the carriage 88 can be extended or retracted as desired within certain limits and held in selected position by the locking action between the latch mechanism I5| and the rack I58.

The auger 5| is shifted forwardly and rearwardly as desired within a certain range by proper turning of the turntable 19. T effect the desired turning of the turntable 19 the posts 11 of the side beams 18 have their upper portions connected by a cross member I52. Extending rearwardly from this member I52, at substantially the longitudinal center thereof, is an elongated shank I53 upon which threads a sleeve I54. The outer end portion of this sleeve I54 is provided with a head I55 which carries a vertically disposed pivot member I56 with which is operatively connected an end portion of an elongated rod I51. This rod I51, as particularly illustrated in Figure 2, is disposed forwardly of the apparatus or device and is operatively connected, as at I58, with a hand'lever I59 havin its lower portion pivotally connected with an adjacent sill 1. This lever I59 carries a conventional latch mechanism I88 coacting with a rack |8| carried by said sill 1 whereby meansare provided for locking the turntable in its selected turned adjustment.

When the auger 5| is raised said auger will assume by gravity its central position with respect to the rod 18 or arms 1I so that after said auger 5| has been adjusted forwardly and rearwardly and sidewise as may be required to brin the same over the desired spot for drilling, it is only necessary to lower the auger into contact with the ground. It is to be particularly pointed out at this time that the proper positioning of the auger 5| can be readily effected after the structure has been brought into relatively close proximity to the spot by proper adjustment of the levers I44 and I59, and thus avoiding the necessity of having to spot the tractor exactly. It is also to be stated that the auger 5| is in rotation at all times when the sprocket wheel 25 is clutched to the shaft 21. It is believed to be obvious that during a digging or drilling operation the brake band H8 is in release, as is also the clutch member I82.

From the foregoing it is thought to be obvious that a post hole digger constructed in accordance with my invention is articularly well adapted for use by reason of the convenience and facility with which it may be assembled and operated.

I claim:

1. An earth boring apparatus comprising a supporting structure, a carriage mounted on the structure for back and forth movement, a turntable mounted on the carriage, a boom carried by the turntable and extending upwardly and outwardly therefrom, an auger, means for supporting said ahger by the boom for up and down movement, and means for rotating the auger.

2. An earth boring apparatus comprising a supporting structure, a carriage mounted on the structure for back and. forth movement, a turntable mounted on the carriage, a boom carried by the turntable and extending upwardly and outwardly therefrom, an auger, means for supporting said auger by the boom for up and down movement, and means carried by the structure and coacting with the auger for rotating the auger in its difierent adjustments.

3. An earth boring apparatus comprising a supporting structure, a carriage mounted on the structure for back and forth movement, a turntable mounted on the carriage, a boom carried by the turntable and extending upwardly and outwardly therefrom, an auger, means for supporting said auger by the boom for up and down movement, means for rotating the auger, and means carried by the boom and operatively engaged with the auger for swinging the auger and maintaining the auger in selected swinging position.

4. An earth boring apparatus comprising a supporting structure, a carriage mounted thereon for and outwardly from the turntable, an auger sus-,

pended from the outer end portion of the boom and having free swinging movement in a general direction transversely of the boom, and means for rotating the auger.

5. An earth boring apparatus comprising a sup-' porting structure, a carriage mounted thereon for back and forth movement, meansfor moving the carriage in either direction, a turntable mounted on the carriage, means for rotating the turntable, a boom carried by and extending upwardly and outwardly from the turntable, an auger suspended from the outer end portion of the boom and having free swinging movement in a general direction transversely of the boom, means for rotating the auger, said auger also having up and down movement independently of the boom, and means for raising the auger, said auger moving downwardly by gravity. v 1

6. An earth boring apparatus comprising a supporting structure, a boom carried by said'struc- I ture and extendingupwardly and outwardly with respect to the structure, an elongated member rotatably engaged with the upper portion of the boom, a tubular member, means coacting with the tubular member being substantially vertically dis-'- posed, an auger connected to the lower portion of the column, means for rotating the auger, means for lifting the auger and column, and means for swinging the tubular member upon its pivot.

7. An earth boring apparatus comprising a supporting structure, a carriage mounted on the structure for back and forth movement, a turntable mounted on the carriage, a boom carried by the turntable and extending upwardly and outwardly therefrom, an auger, means for supporting said auger by the boom for up and down movement, means for rotating the auger, means for hitching the supporting structure to a tractor or the like, and ground engaging supporting members carried by said structure. Y

8. An earth boring apparatus comprising a supporting structure, a carriage mounted on the structure for back and forth movement, a turntable mounted on the carriage, a boom carried by the turntable and extending upwardly and outwardly therefrom, an auger, means for support- .ing said auger by the boom for up and down movement, means for rotating the auger, and releasable braking means for holding the auger in selected raised position, said auger moving downwardly by gravity upon release of said braking means.

' 9. An earth boring apparatus comprising a supporting structure, a carriage mounted on the structurefor back and forth movement, a tumtable mounted on the carriage, a boom carried by the turntable and extending upwardly and outwardly therefrom, an auger, means for supporting aid auger b the boom for up anddown movement, means for rotating the auger. and means for making inoperative the driving means for the auger upon abnormal resistance to the rotation of the auger.

10. An earth boring apparatus comprising a supporting structure, a carriage mounted thereon tubular member and the elongated member for pivotally supporting the tubular member bythe elongated member, a column freely disposed JOHN w. noos'ron. 

